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Ellen G. White: The Early Elmshaven Years: 1900-1905 (vol. 5)

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The Everyday Engrossing Activities

The work on Testimony 34 moved along at a torturous pace through the early weeks of 1901. Two things served to make the work difficult. The first was the numerous letters and visitors that began to deluge the staff at Elmshaven as soon as Ellen White's new residence was established. Some wrote wanting to work for her. One wrote that her doctor had recommended milk and she wondered whether it would be right to follow his advice. A young minister wrote asking whether he should try to convert the Protestant pastors of the town before visiting the members. Then there were questions of marriage and divorce and others about butter and eggs and cheese. 5BIO 48.5

Sara McEnterfer, Sister Druillard, and Willie answered many of these letters as they were instructed to by Ellen White. W. C. White proposed that with many of these they enclose a little duplicated appeal that read: “There are hundreds of people who desire to hear personally from Mother. Some write letters containing questions, others send us their life history, and others make donations to the cause. We have not time to write lengthy letters to these persons.” 5BIO 49.1

Often the answers said that Ellen White had no special light on the case and urged the person to study for himself what was already published. Sara told one lady who wanted Ellen White to inquire of the Lord, “I would say that the Lord is no respecter of persons and will hear your earnest cry to Him for help as quickly and willingly as He will should it be sent to Him through Sister White.”—16 WCW, p. 184. 5BIO 49.2

Then there was a constant stream of visitors. Two women appeared one day just as Ellen was returning, worn and weary, from San Francisco. They said that they had driven sixty miles in their little rig and they just had to see Sister White. She agreed to see them. The first thing they did was to present her with a demented child, and asked what should be done. Then they produced a list of ten questions for which they wanted nothing but Yes or No answers. 1. Has the time come when we positively should eat no more meat, eggs, butter, milk? 2. Is it a sin to raise children? Is it a sin to raise bread? et cetera. Ellen White referred them to her writings on each point, and told them that she was not commissioned to answer such questions, but the women would not desist (16 WCW, p. 55). 5BIO 49.3

A daughter brought an invalid mother for whom she wanted Sister White's special prayers. A divorcee wanted to get a little advice. Then an old friend fresh from the Klondike gold fields came to the home. It's not hard to see how Sara McEnterfer acquired the reputation of being Ellen White's “watchdog,” for she bore much of the responsibility of protecting her from unreasonable demands upon her time and energy. 5BIO 49.4

The great bulk of the mail received was of a justifiable and sensible nature, a good portion from workers carrying heavy responsibilities. Many of those well acquainted with her and her work would address a letter to W. C. White and merely suggest that he discuss the matter with his mother at a time when she was free to give consideration to it. There were some very personal letters that she herself elected to answer. 5BIO 50.1

Among the men who kept up active and continual correspondence were Elder Irwin, president of the General Conference; Dr. Kellogg; Elder S. N. Haskell and his wife; and Edson. All wrote on a fairly regular basis, reporting their activities, outlining developments in their work, and asking for guidance and direction. Ellen White kept up an active correspondence with all of these. Her letters to them and to friends and relatives constitute the richest source of information about her day-to-day life. Whatever extra strength she could muster between her writing and bouts of illness she used in speaking to believers and unbelievers. 5BIO 50.2